It goes without saying, but toothpaste really is a household staple. I mean, if you learned anything from your parents, it's that brushing your teeth twice a day will keep the dentist away - or something to that effect. But while you may have previously thought its only use lies in cleaning our teeth, well, trust me, you couldn't be more wrong.
I mean, yes it does serve the incredibly important purpose of keeping our pearly whites as free from plaque and cavities as possible. So you can imagine what an insanely powerful cleaning agent it must be. In fact, it's a lot more multi-purposeful than most people realise.
So without further ado, here are 10 incredibly useful ways you can use toothpaste aside from cleaning your teeth.
1. It can do wonders for both your fingernails and toenails
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If you want to spruce up your nails a little, then just apply a bit of toothpaste, buff them, then rinse. They'll be gleaming in no time at all.
2. It will keep your silverware looking new as ever
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Instead of spending a mindnumbing amount of time polishing your silverware, just occasionally apply a bit of toothpaste and scrub away. Toothpaste is great for metals such as silver as it is a non-toxic yet effective cleaning agent.
3. It's perfect for keeping your headlights clean
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Driving when it's dark always poses more of a risk than during the daytime. But if you ensure your headlights are always clean, it will do a better job of illuminating the road ahead. Also, the good thing is that you don't need any specialised cleaning product - just a bit of toothpaste and a toothbrush will do.
4. Keeping your piano keys clean
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Piano keys are bound to get dirty especially if you or anyone else in your household is an avid player. But with just a little bit of toothpaste and a toothbrush, they'll be as ivory-white as the day you got the damn thing.
5. Ensuring your white sneakers stay white
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Usually, when you buy a pair of white sneakers, you'll always have to be concerned about them losing their perfectly unblemished colour. Well, if after a while they have turned a bit murky, you might want to try polishing them with - you guessed it - toothpaste.
6. Cleaning your goggles
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If you use your goggles quite often, you'll need to make sure you keep them clean away the buildup of chlorine and perspiration so you're always able to see properly. You can do that with effective results using toothpaste.
7. Red wine stains
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It's always a nightmare when you spill a glass of red wine or, god forbid, an entire bottle. But what you may not know is that toothpaste is probably your best bet when it comes to household items being able to eradicate the stain.
8. Removing ink stains
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Having a pen explode in your backpack or purse is one of the most annoying things in the world. What you have to do is remove the ink before it sets. Do this by applying toothpaste to the stains, scrubbing away and washing as usual.
9. Get rid of hair dye stains
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Yeah, being able to dye your hair is pretty cool but what isn't so cool is how messy it can sometimes yet. If the dye ends up on the side of your face, for instance, toothpaste is your best bet at cleaning it away.
10. Soothing mosquito bites
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One of the most annoying things about summer, in my opinion, is mosquito bites. But you can totally sooth the irritation their bites cause with just a little bit of toothpaste.
So there you have it: never let it be said that toothpaste is a one-trick pony.